Decision Letter
Submission Number: 13309
Decision Date: July 7, 2025
Associate Dean: Scott-Morgan Straker (Acting Associate Dean)
Student Name: Shenming Gao
Student Email: 22sg5@queensu.ca
Dear Shenming Gao:
Thank you for your petition request to waive the requirement to withdraw for 1-year ruling. I have carefully reviewed your request and while I’m unable to grant your petition, I want to assure you that I’ve taken your circumstances into account as part of this decision.
A requirement to withdraw is invoked when students experience ongoing or extreme academic difficulties. The ruling is not a punishment; rather, it is intended to provide the student with time away from the university to reflect on and remedy the factors impeding their academic success. The Academic Petitions and Appeals Regulation 1.7.1.8. states that a petition requesting that a requirement to withdraw be waived must clearly demonstrate how significantly extenuating circumstances, beyond the student’s control, affected their academic performance. In cases where the extenuating circumstances were temporary, the student should indicate and document how the circumstances have been overcome and why the student is confident that they will not continue to affect the student’s academic performance. In cases where the extenuating circumstances are ongoing rather than temporary, the student should also indicate and document how these personal challenges will be managed if the requirement to withdraw is waived.
I acknowledge the extenuating circumstances that you reported within your petition letter, particularly the noise disturbances that occurred while you were preparing for exams. It is encouraging to hear that you are taking steps to address your environment by seeking a quieter place to live. However, after a thorough review, I must conclude that your petition does not include sufficient documentation to meet the standard required to waive the withdrawal ruling. While I appreciate that your academic plan outlines strategies to manage your academics moving forward, your petition does not include documentation confirming that extenuating circumstances directly impacted your academic performance or prevented you from dropping courses by the relevant deadlines. Additionally, your transcript indicates that you were placed on academic probation in May 2024, which suggests that the challenges you are facing have been ongoing and are not solely attributable to the recent disturbances during the 2025 Winter term exam period. For these reasons, I am unable to grant your request.
Please know that this decision is not intended to be punitive. Rather, it reflects the university’s intention, when students encounter academic difficulties, to offer them time away from their studies to reflect on and address the factors that may be hindering their academic progress.
While it is clear that you have experienced a few difficult years at university and that you are eager to continue taking classes, my sincere hope is that you will take this opportunity away from school to make some changes and continue to access the support you need to achieve future academic success. Keep in mind that you will be eligible to return to the university for the 2026 Summer term.
Upon your return, we hope that you will take advantage of the support services available to you at Queen's. It will be your responsibility to take steps for the successful completion of your program and to maintain a GPA consistent with the requirements of your plan. These are some strategies that I strongly encourage you to consider:
Choose courses carefully. As you know, achieving a higher grade in a repeated course will improve your GPA. This course of action will help to ensure you will be in good academic standing and not at risk of being required to withdraw for three years.
Reflect on your program choice. Are you in the right plan for your interests and aptitudes? Your Academic Advisement Report in SOLUS will allow you to see your remaining requirements and help you plan out future courses. You can read about the other program/plan options that may interest you in the Academic Calendar at queensu.ca/academic-calendar/arts-science/schools-departments-programs/.
Seek out the advice necessary to improve your academic performance. The Arts and Science Faculty Office is located in Dunning Hall (main floor). You can also book an appointment with an Academic Advisor online at queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/student-services/academic-advising. Academic advising may also be available through your Plan department.
Student Academic Success Services (SASS) sass.queensu.ca/ in Stauffer Library provides a range of services, including workshops designed to improve study skills and develop strategies for meeting the demands of academic life.
The Student Wellness Services Centre queensu.ca/studentwellness/ located in Mitchell Hall, is available to all Queen’s students. SWS offers counselling as well as individual consultation to aid in coping with difficulties of a more personal nature.
Academic Consideration is a process for the university community to provide a compassionate response to assist students experiencing a short-term extenuating circumstance. You can familiarize yourself with your consideration options at: queensu.ca/artsci/accommodations.
Additionally, if you wish to appeal this decision, you are welcome to submit an appeal to the Board of Studies. Information on the appeal process and deadlines is available at queensu.ca/artsci/undergraduate/student-services/academic-petitions-and-appeals (click on “Second Level”). The Office of the University Ombudsperson offers guidance on student rights and procedural fairness at queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness, and they are also available to support you at queensu.ca/ombuds.
I hope that you continue to seek out the support and resources available to you, and I wish you the best in navigating your next steps.
Sincerely,
Scott-Morgan Straker
Associate Dean (Acting)
Decision Date: July 7, 2025
Associate Dean: Scott-Morgan Straker (Acting Associate Dean)
Student Name: Shenming Gao
Student Email: 22sg5@queensu.ca
Dear Shenming Gao:
Thank you for your petition request to waive the requirement to withdraw for 1-year ruling. I have carefully reviewed your request and while I’m unable to grant your petition, I want to assure you that I’ve taken your circumstances into account as part of this decision.
A requirement to withdraw is invoked when students experience ongoing or extreme academic difficulties. The ruling is not a punishment; rather, it is intended to provide the student with time away from the university to reflect on and remedy the factors impeding their academic success. The Academic Petitions and Appeals Regulation 1.7.1.8. states that a petition requesting that a requirement to withdraw be waived must clearly demonstrate how significantly extenuating circumstances, beyond the student’s control, affected their academic performance. In cases where the extenuating circumstances were temporary, the student should indicate and document how the circumstances have been overcome and why the student is confident that they will not continue to affect the student’s academic performance. In cases where the extenuating circumstances are ongoing rather than temporary, the student should also indicate and document how these personal challenges will be managed if the requirement to withdraw is waived.
I acknowledge the extenuating circumstances that you reported within your petition letter, particularly the noise disturbances that occurred while you were preparing for exams. It is encouraging to hear that you are taking steps to address your environment by seeking a quieter place to live. However, after a thorough review, I must conclude that your petition does not include sufficient documentation to meet the standard required to waive the withdrawal ruling. While I appreciate that your academic plan outlines strategies to manage your academics moving forward, your petition does not include documentation confirming that extenuating circumstances directly impacted your academic performance or prevented you from dropping courses by the relevant deadlines. Additionally, your transcript indicates that you were placed on academic probation in May 2024, which suggests that the challenges you are facing have been ongoing and are not solely attributable to the recent disturbances during the 2025 Winter term exam period. For these reasons, I am unable to grant your request.
Please know that this decision is not intended to be punitive. Rather, it reflects the university’s intention, when students encounter academic difficulties, to offer them time away from their studies to reflect on and address the factors that may be hindering their academic progress.
While it is clear that you have experienced a few difficult years at university and that you are eager to continue taking classes, my sincere hope is that you will take this opportunity away from school to make some changes and continue to access the support you need to achieve future academic success. Keep in mind that you will be eligible to return to the university for the 2026 Summer term.
Upon your return, we hope that you will take advantage of the support services available to you at Queen's. It will be your responsibility to take steps for the successful completion of your program and to maintain a GPA consistent with the requirements of your plan. These are some strategies that I strongly encourage you to consider:
Choose courses carefully. As you know, achieving a higher grade in a repeated course will improve your GPA. This course of action will help to ensure you will be in good academic standing and not at risk of being required to withdraw for three years.
Reflect on your program choice. Are you in the right plan for your interests and aptitudes? Your Academic Advisement Report in SOLUS will allow you to see your remaining requirements and help you plan out future courses. You can read about the other program/plan options that may interest you in the Academic Calendar at queensu.ca/academic-calendar/arts-science/schools-departments-programs/.
Seek out the advice necessary to improve your academic performance. The Arts and Science Faculty Office is located in Dunning Hall (main floor). You can also book an appointment with an Academic Advisor online at queensu.ca/artsci/undergrad-students/student-services/academic-advising. Academic advising may also be available through your Plan department.
Student Academic Success Services (SASS) sass.queensu.ca/ in Stauffer Library provides a range of services, including workshops designed to improve study skills and develop strategies for meeting the demands of academic life.
The Student Wellness Services Centre queensu.ca/studentwellness/ located in Mitchell Hall, is available to all Queen’s students. SWS offers counselling as well as individual consultation to aid in coping with difficulties of a more personal nature.
Academic Consideration is a process for the university community to provide a compassionate response to assist students experiencing a short-term extenuating circumstance. You can familiarize yourself with your consideration options at: queensu.ca/artsci/accommodations.
Additionally, if you wish to appeal this decision, you are welcome to submit an appeal to the Board of Studies. Information on the appeal process and deadlines is available at queensu.ca/artsci/undergraduate/student-services/academic-petitions-and-appeals (click on “Second Level”). The Office of the University Ombudsperson offers guidance on student rights and procedural fairness at queensu.ca/ombuds/appeal-process/procedural-fairness, and they are also available to support you at queensu.ca/ombuds.
I hope that you continue to seek out the support and resources available to you, and I wish you the best in navigating your next steps.
Sincerely,
Scott-Morgan Straker
Associate Dean (Acting)
Generated July 7, 2025 at 3:33:02 PM.